According to the state of the art, the transmission of data packets on a wireless link varies greatly in quality. In order to maximize the throughput of a communication, it is possible to implement link adaptation mechanisms.
Thus, patent document U.S. Pat. No. 6,643,322 filed in the name of Aperto Networks, Inc. describes a communication system allowing the use of several types of modulations and therefore making it possible to choose a spectral efficiency (that is to say the number of useful bits transmitted per second and per hertz) on the basis of the correctly received or erroneous packets. Thus, if the number of consecutive packet acknowledgements exceeds a certain threshold, the modulation parameters are modified to allow an immediately higher spectral efficiency. If, conversely, the number of consecutive packets that are not acknowledged exceeds a certain limit, the modulation parameters are modified to allow an immediately lower spectral efficiency.
This technique presents the drawback of not being fully adapted to the quality of a communication channel that is noisy and/or subject to interference.